Welcome, Parents and Students, to Ms. de Melo’s 3rd Grade Class

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Welcome to 3rd grade! I am so glad to have the opportunity to teach your child. Third grade is an exciting year. Get ready—multiplication is coming your way!

I have had 17 years experience in teaching and have a master’s degree in elementary education. Most of my teaching experience has been in third grade and reading intervention. I have a 11 year old daughter of my own named Hannah and she will be attending Chelsea Middle School.

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Weekly Reading Log - Students will be required to read 60 minutes at home

each week. Students will be assigned a reading log which will be due each Friday. Reading logs will be sent home each Monday.

Parents are encouraged to read with their children during this time. Your child may also read silently or you may read with or aloud to your child. Please always ask your child questions about the text.

Math Homework-Students should practice multiplication facts nightly. There will be a multiplication quiz every other Friday on multiplication facts. There may also be a worksheet sent home to reinforce math concepts taught during class. Check your child’s red folder nightly.

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Spelling - Students will participate in word study activities during reading. There will be an assessment on Fridays. You will be provided with a word list on the weekly newsletter. I will choose around 8 words from this list. The students will write sentences using the chosen words.

Science/Social Studies- Students will receive a study guide for concepts that will be tested in Science and Social Studies.

Homework Goal - Students should not have to spend more than 30 minutes per day on homework. If your child is spending more time than this, please contact me. Please check assignment pad nightly for homework assignments.

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Students may be assigned special projects during the school year. Students will always be given plenty of time (2-3 weeks) for these assignments. Most of these projects will be completed in class.

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I believe students who are actively engaged in the learning process will not have opportunities to misbehave. However, if a student does misbehave, then learning time for all students is affected.

Student behavior will be monitored using a tracking sheet. A check system will be used.

A check is given after the occurrence of each offense. If your child receives 2 checks a privilege is taken away such

as time out from recess or silent lunch. After the third check you will receive a phone call from me. If a fourth check is given the child will be sent to the office. If your child has misbehaved during the day he/she will fill out a behavior contract sheet and bring it home for you to sign.

Severe clause – student immediately sent to office for fighting, disrespect, profanity, or any other serious offense

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Students who arrive to school before 7:15 am should report to Early Morning Care located in the library. The cost for this is $3 per day and begins at 6:30 am each morning.

Students who arrive from 7:15-7:30 should report to the lunchroom where they may eat breakfast.

Students who arrive after 7:30 should report to their classrooms if they are not eating breakfast.

Students must be in their classrooms by 7:45 am to avoid being counted tardy.

Parents must walk students into the office when they arrive after 7:45 am.

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Early buses will load at 2:45 Car riders will dismiss at 2:45

Late buses will load from 2:50-3:15

Student check-out is not permitted once dismissal has begun in the afternoons.

All transportation changes must be made in writing. Please send a note in the morning. This note must be approved by the office.

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Riding the bus is a privilege.

Failure to abide by bus rules can result in suspension or expulsion from the bus. Suspension from one bus means suspension from all buses.

Please make sure your child always has a plan of action for what he is supposed to do after he gets off the bus each afternoon.

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Red daily folder—Your child will bring home a red folder daily. This folder will contain the weekly newsletter, homework sheets, reading log, and any other communication from me or the school. Homework and communication from you should be returned each day in this folder.

A weekly newsletter will be sent home each Monday. Please read it carefully as it will give you test dates, special announcements, field trip information, etc…

Blue weekly progress folders will be sent home each Wednesday with graded papers. Please review these papers, sign, and return them in the blue folder. If you have any questions please send a note and instruct your child to hand the note to me. If it is left in the blue folder I may not see it for several days.

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Parent conferences – I would love to meet with each parent at least one time during the school year for a private conference.

Email – please send emails. This is often the quickest way to reach me, however, please understand that I will only be able to respond to emails at the end of the school day. If you have an urgent message concerning your child, then please contact the office. My email is ldemelo@shelbyed.k12.al.us. You may also send in a note with your child at any time and I will try to respond that day.

Report cards and grading rubrics will be sent home each nine weeks according to the SCBOE school calendar.

Severe weather – always check the local radio and television stations for weather updates. We will also have a safety parent who will make phone calls for our classroom in case of early dismissal.

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Weekly tests will include: Daily Geography Daily Math Review Daily Language Review Multiplication Quiz (every other week) Science/Social Studies (as units of study

are completed) Spelling Math Assessments (as we finish units of

study)

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Student lunches are $2.00 per day. Students may purchase slushies and/or ice cream on Fridays for an extra charge. Please talk to your child in advance about whether or not they are allowed to purchase extra items. Please make sure your child has a positive lunch balance at all times.

Parents may eat lunch with their child for $4 per day.

Parents should sign in at the office and wait for our class in the hallway outside the lunchroom. Please join us often for lunch! Our lunch time is 10:35 daily.

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Students may bring a snack and drink each day.

Please do not send fruit cups with juice or pudding cups as this can become a big mess and we will be working during our snack time.

Students may not share snacks with other classmates. No carbonated beverages will be allowed.

Parents who wish to celebrate their child’s birthday may send in snacks to share with the class during our snack time which is at 2:05.

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Please read the student handbook carefully to learn about all of our school’s rules and policies.

When sending money to school for lunch, field trips, or other purposes, please place it in a sealed Ziploc bag or envelope with your child’s name, classroom teacher’s name, and purpose for the money written on the front.

Field trips—We will be going on several field trips this year. Information will be sent home to tell you about the dates and give you the opportunity to sign up as a chaperone. If we are limited to a certain number of chaperones I will draw names for those trips.

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Attendance—I encourage your child to be at school every day unless the child is sick or you have a family emergency. If your child is absent, please send a note within 3 days or your child will receive an unexcused absence. If your child is running a fever, vomiting, or having episodes of diarrhea, then he/she must stay home and be free from illness for 24 hours before returning.

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We have very limited funds for our classroom.

Items I would like to order for our students include: Scholastic News Weekly Reader Handwriting Workbooks

Total cost of $10.00 per student. This would be counted as an extra donation. I would like to get the order in as soon as possible if everyone agrees to the extra purchase.

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Let’s have a GREAT 3rd grade year at MLES!

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